Let Me Go
by soaring-bright-flame
Summary: Danny is sick and tired of Paulina fawning over Phantom. So he serenades her at the school talent show singing Let Me Go. Sacrificing his secret, he hopes she’ll get the message. ONE SHOT


Summary: Danny is sick and tired of Paulina fawning over Phantom. So he serenades her at the school talent show singing Let Me Go. Sacrificing his secret, he hopes she'll get the message. (ONE SHOT)

"Talking"

**Singing**

'_Thinking'_

_Memories

* * *

_

"And stay in there!" Danny capped the Fenton thermos, after sucking up a particularly annoying ghost. Four hours of chasing it around the city produced a very tired Phantom.

And as everyone knows, a tired anything makes easy prey.

She watched from the shadows of the ally, calculating his every move. She'd been hunting this boy for months now--she knew what she was doing. And this time, he'd fall. He'd succumb. And there was nothing, _nothing_ stopping her. Silently, she slipped out of her hiding place, and approached him on quick feet. Closer, closer, closer still…

Danny caught some motion from the corner of his eye, moving towards him. He made to turn around, but he was too late.

"PHANTOM!" There was a high pitched squeal as he was suddenly mobbed by an over-obsessive fan girl.

* * *

The sound of a slamming door was the signal to Sam and Tucker than Danny had returned. They rushed out to greet him, as he threw his coat and the thermos in the closet.

"Dude, where were you? We expected you back ages a--whoa. What hit _you_?" Tucker stopped short upon seeing him.

"Danny, what happened?" Sam peered at him. "You look like you've been in a bar fight."

He laughed shortly. "You should see the other guy," He said sarcastically. For on his cheek he sported a very raw looking scrape--the back of his head was bleeding and there was some sort of red smear running from his lips to his temple. Danny moved past them and into the kitchen where he grabbed an ice pack and held it to his head.

"That ghost must have hit you pretty hard." Sam said idly, sitting back down at the table. Tucker and Danny joined her, Danny sighing as he went.

"Oh, it's not the ghost I'm worried about." He smiled grimly. "But I'm starting to think that Paulina might prove to be a bigger problem than I anticipated."

He was greeted with silence and blank stares.

"You're…your joking right?_ Paulina_ did that to you?" Sam burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" he protested. "Seriously! This hurts!" Tucker chuckled.

"You gotta admit man, being beat up by a fan girl--pretty funny."

Danny looked like he'd like to punch them both.

"Really, what am I supposed to do? Just tell her to buzz off?" he persisted.

"Well," Sam started, "Start little. Just say things like 'Paulina, let me go.'"

Danny nodded slowly. "Okay…" It was at this moment that he was struck by a brilliant idea.

"Tucker," he rounded on the boy, "the talent show's tomorrow, right?"

Tucker nodded slowly.

"Excellent."

* * *

'_Danny, what were you thinking?' _

Tucker read, and re-read the sign up sheets for the talent show. There was no doubt. There was Danny's name, and no matter how many times he lined it up, it always matched up. Danny, the foolish boy he was, signed up for--

"Singing." Sam deadpanned. "I can not believe it. He wants to scar the school. He swore to protect everyone, and now he's planning on brutally murdering them all." Tucker shook his head sadly.

"Alas, we had such high hopes for him," he mocked lightly.

"'Alas?' Since when do you say things like that?" Laughter floated to their ears, and they both turned to find the blue eyed boy grinning at them as he strolled over. "Alas, thine ears crackled, pour thy music so sweet."

Sam laughed and shook her head. "That made no sense Danny." He rolled his shoulders back and chuckled in what would be a sheepish manner.

"I know. But don't worry about the show. I've got something special planned." He grinned again, just as the warning bell rang. Despite their persistence's, he refused to tell them anything.

* * *

That night…

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Casper High's Annual Talent show!" The responding roar was deafening, for once. Mr Lancer smiled cheerily, before barking, "That's alright, settle down."

Two minutes later he started again with something that could pass as silence.

And the talent show began.

Girls danced, swayed, sang, Paulina did cheerleader moves, everyone played instruments, the list went on and on…

And finally…

"Next up, we have Daniel Fenton," An uproar of boo's from Dash and his crowd, "singing," more wails, "Let Me Go."

Danny shuffled up on stage shyly. He cleared his throat into the microphone, but what meant to be a quiet little move echoed throughout the silent gymnasium.

"Um…" he stammered into the microphone, nonchalantly scratching the back of his head. "This is for Paulina." Squeals went up in the crowd, as Dash and his gang's jaw's dropped. Paulina scowled, and flipped her hair at Star.

"He thinks he's all that. Does this _chico_ actually think he has a chance?"

The music was playing now, and Sam could feel her heart racing. She knew the song. She knew what was going to happen. The only question left unanswered was whether Paulina was bright enough to figure it out.

But little did Sam know, Paulina wasn't the only person on Danny's mind…

**One more kiss could be the best thing…**

_They called it a 'fake out make out.' Something to be used in desperate situations only. But it happened twice, and from both receiving ends. Yet neither of them had brought it up after…why?_

**One more lie could be the worst…**

"_I love you Inviso-Bill!" Danny tried to run, tried to fly, but she tackled him. "We were meant to be, Phantom. Please…I love you no matter what!"_

**And all these thoughts are never resting**

**And you're not something I deserve.**

_Sam, who knew everything. Who accepted him always, but didn't see him **that** way. Paulina, who only loved one half of him, knew nothing of him, but she was beautiful, popular…and way out of his reach. _

Sam and Tucker were surprised. Danny could actually sing! And…he looked so passionate about it. _'What is he thinking, right now?_' Sam could only wonder.

**In my head there's only you now,**

_Sam I'm sorry…I gotta make this right. Now. _

**This world falls on me…**

_Carrying the weight of the world…no one would know how it felt. This responsibility just fell on me, I didn't ask for it. I'm hated for it. But with great power, which this is, comes great responsibility. From one super hero to another I suppose. Spiderman really knew what he was talking about. _

**In this world there's real and make believe**

_Sam…stoic, funny, smart, beautiful and understanding. Paulina, popular, beautiful, but shallow. _

_Sam…_

**THIS seems real to me…**

**You love me, but you don't know who I am,**

Here in the show, Danny pointed to the crowd right at Paulina. Sam raised his eyebrow at his face. He still sang the words, but his face held now trace of any emotion. His eyes didn't sparkle. His mouth didn't smile. He was just singing.

Paulina couldn't belive it. This chico, this _boy_ claimed that she loved him? Backwards, idiot!

**I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand**

_I just wanna be a normal kid…I don't want to have to fight…to save this town…but I have to…I have no choice…_

**And you love me, but you don't know who I am, **

'_Inviso-bill! I love you!' _

'_My name's not Inviso-bill!'_

**So let me go, just let me go…**

_Danny fell hard on his face. What the hell was that? He rolled over to find Paulina attached to his waist. Again. She always followed him, tackled him. When was she going to give it up? _

**I dream ahead to what I hope for**

_Danny capped the thermos and hesitated when he heard footsteps behind him. He froze, praying. _

'_Sam, oh Sam, oh please let it be Sam, I don't wanna have to deal with this today…'_

'_Inviso-bill… is that you?' _

'_Damn. Gotta run.' _

**And I turn my back on loving you…**

_Danny shot up through the air clutching the thermos. 'Why do I run? Why don't I stay and talk her out of pouncing on me? I mean, I like her, right?_

**How can this love be a good thing…?**

_It can't._

**And I know what I'm going though**

"_Danny! What happened?"_

"_Nothing Jazz…really, it's okay…"_

"_Danny, you're bleeding! Oh my god it's huge…"_

"_It's just a little cut…I got distracted…Paulina was there…" He passed out on the bed. _

**In my head there's only you now**

**This world falls on me**

**In this world there's real and make-believe**

_C'mon Paulina…you gotta understand…there's nothing between us…_

**This seems real to me**

**And you love me, but you don't know who I am**

Again, he pointed to Paulina in the crowd, who now wore a look of what appeared to be permanent distain. But he sang with expression now. He knew what had to happen, however much he didn't want to do it.

**I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand**

**And you love me, but you don't know who I am**

**So let me go, just let me go…**

_Get over me Paulina…Goddammit LET ME GO_

Sam sucked in her breath as the next lines exploded from Danny's lips with a new found passion, a new meaning.

A new anger.

**And _no_ matter how _hard _I try**

**I can't escape these _things _inside**

_His heart was pumping from his chest as she walked by with her posse. She noticed, but just sent him a scornful glare. _

'_Why…why can't I feel this way when I'm Phantom…a definite love-hate relationship…15 on the 1 to 10 complications rating…' _

Danny cringed.

"**I know…_I know!_**

**And all these pieces fall apart**

**And you will be the only one who knows…**

Danny's eyes connected with Sam's through the crowd. They bore right into her, and she got the message.

**Who knows…**

_He landed hard on the pavement, and lifted his head to find Sam running over. _

"_Danny! Are you okay?" _

_He stared blankly at her. _

"_Sorry, standard question."_

**You love me but you don't know who I am**

**I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand**

**And you love me, but you don't know who I am**

**So let me go **

**Yeah, let me go…**

He faded off slightly, and when he finally stopped, he stepped away from the microphone looked around nervously.

All those that didn't know of Paulina, Danny, or his 'crush' on her, exploded in applause. There was cheering and screaming, and the thunderous sound of hundreds of hands smashing together.

Danny relaxed slightly, and then hopped off the stage. He made quick eye contact with Sam, and gestured that he was leaving. She nodded, understanding that after all that, he might need some space. She watched as Paulina suddenly stood up looking murderous, and followed him out.

On second thought, he might need the company.

* * *

Paulina burst out of the backstage, into an alleyway behind the school. It was raining hard, but it didn't damper her raging fury.

'_How dare he…he embarrass me in front of the entire school by claiming that I, _I _love him!' _

He was a good ten feet away from her, walking quickly through the pounding rain.

"Danny! Danny, wait! I need to talk to you!" He kept on walking, completely ignoring her calls.

Enraged, she ran after him. "Danny, you idiot, how could you say those things, I don't--"

He turned a corner sharply, and she followed him, seizing his arm.

"--love…you?" This wasn't Danny. She held a stiff arm of someone dressed in black and silver jumpsuit, back turned to her, with snowy white hair flattened by the rain. He didn't turn to her, and the only acknowledgment that he gave her was to stop walking.

"Phantom?" She grasped his am with her other arm. "Phantom? What are you doing here? Did you see a boy with--"

"Paulina." She was cut off by the dead pan of his voice, but there was no mistaking the deadly anger that it contained.

"Let me go." The statement and its meaning was obvious, seeming as she was nearly hanging off his arm, but the secondary meaning sent shivers down her spine.

"P--phantom?" She stammered in a barely audible whisper.

"I meant what I said, Paulina," he turned slowly towards her, peeling her fingers off his arm. "You say you love me, but you really don't know me at all, do you?" His piercing green eyes shot right through her, and she was filled with a sudden dread.

Paulina stumbled back several steps. _'No…no it can't be. But…Danny was standing here just a millisecond before I grabbed Phantom…and…and what's he saying?' _ But whether or not she would admit it to herself, she already knew.

"It…It's not like that Phantom," She choked, brushing wet hair out of her eyes. But when his deadly face didn't change, she moved in quietly.

She draped her arms around his shoulders, ignoring the sudden stiffening of everyone of his muscles, as she pulled her face closer, they were nearly cheek to cheek, her draped all over him, and him, standing stiffly staring straight ahead, when he spoke blatantly into her ear.

"What's my favorite color?"

She pulled back in surprise. "What?"

Phantom cocked his head slightly to the right. "My favorite color. What is it?" Paulina frowned.

"That's silly. How would I know?"

Phantom laughed quickly. "Alright then. When was I born?"

Paulina was looking more and more confused.

"When did I 'die'?"

"My favorite food?"

"One thing I hate the most?" Paulina was shaking her head.

"You're not making any sense Phantom." He laughed again, running his gloved hand through his hair.

"That's the funny part Paulina. Now tell me," he wasn't laughing now, glaring at her again.

"What is my real name?"

"I…I don't know." He grimaced.

"That's the point exactly. You don't know anything about me, from my favorite color to--"

"Blue." Both heads swiveled behind Paulina. There stood Sam, drenched in the rain, but looking utterly determined.

"Your favorite color is blue. You were born on February 19 1992. You 'died' on April 3rd 2004. Your favorite foods are hamburgers. The one thing you hate the most is Vlad Plasmius. Your name," She snorted.

"Danny Fenton."

The only sound following this statement was the drizzling rain.

"What?" Paulina tried hoarsely to laugh. "Danny _Fenton?_" She laughed again. "That looser?" She stopped short at the raised brown and look on Phantom's face.

"Love me no matter what, right Paulina?" At the stunned look on her face, he brushed past her coldly. "Yeah, I didn't think so." He sent one last cold look her way, before grabbing Sam's hand and they both vanished.

* * *

Three Days later…

Danny shot a particular hard ectoplasm shot at the box ghost, before sucking it up with a final 'bewaaarrreee…' he laughed and flew out of the Nasty Burger. When he landed lightly, he saw Paulina quietly watching him. They both looked at each other for a moment, then Paulina nodded slowly, turned, and walked away.

They never spoke again.

* * *

**SBF: Alright, that ending didn't come out the way I wanted it too…XD

* * *

**

Originally, this was supposed to be a D/S fic, but it didn't work out. The idea was brewing with me for ages, but it somehow…didn't turn out as fantastic as I hoped.

Thanks for reading! Hope I worked up to your standerds!


End file.
